Saturn is a Monster, Plain and Simple!
One Piece Chapter 1094 Review/Recap
We’ve known for several chapters now that something is very, very wrong with the Five Elders. Their assassination of King Cobra and Sabo’s narrow escape demonstrated that they’re Devil Fruit users. However, there’s something different about them, even by Devil Fruit standards. There are even hints in the manga that lead some fans to think that the Five Elders and their master aren’t even human. While that has yet to be proven, the latest chapter looks at their unnatural power firsthand. Jaygarcia Saturn makes landfall on Egghead Island, and everyone on the island trembles.
As a side note, this week’s cover page includes the members of the Shimotsuki family. It’s a tribute to the upcoming anime adaptation of Eichiro Oda’s oneshot, Monsters. It tells the story of the Shimotsuki’s legendary ancestor, Ryuuma the samurai. And for those who didn’t read the SBS or Reddit, it confirms that Zoro is a descendant of Ryuuma.
Recap
Vegapunk Atlas manages to override the Marines command of the Pacifista’s, ordering them, once more, to drive the Marines off the island. The timing couldn’t be better, either. While Bonney’s able to hold her own against the grunts, she soon finds herself overwhelmed by the Vice Admirals. Thankfully, Sanji swoops in and saves her. Back in the Labophase, Luffy continues to get in Kizaru’s way, preventing him from going after Vegapunk.
However, all fighting on the island stops when they sense a great power approaching. Jaygarcia Saturn’s voice booms over the island, ordering the Pacifista’s to cease fighting. Before anyone can make sense of things, a magic circle appears; all marines below the rank of Commodore are ordered to avert their eyes. To drive that point home, one Marine that ignores the order has their head explode!
Saturn appears from within the magic circle in a monstrous form. Now distracted, the Vegatank passengers are caught off-guard when Kizaru destroys their cloud route. Fortunately, Luffy manages to kick him away with a devastating hit to the head. However, he finally reaches his limit at and falls to the ground. Now face to face with Jaygarcia Saturn, Vegapunk’s group is further caught off guard when Bonney charges Saturn. With tears in her eyes as she remembers what she saw in her father’s memories, Bonney doesn’t hesitate as she plunges a sword into Saturn’s chest!
Review
Sabo’s flashback to the events in Mariejois already alluded to it, but this chapter confirms it: there is something…wrong with the Five Elders. Fans already guessed that they have Mythical Zoan-type Fruits, but the one Saturn has is out there, even by Devil Fruit standards.
Firstly, there’s the fact that it’s a mythical creature that’s never been seen in One Piece. According to popular leakers like Redon and Pewpiece, Saturn’s Devil Fruit is an Ushi-Oni, or Gyuki. It’s a yokai from western Japanese mythology with the head of an ox and the body of a spider. The closest thing that’s comparable would be Orochi’s Devil Fruit, also a legendary monster from Japanese myth. Unlike Orochi, though, Saturn looks like he knows how to fight.
Then there’s the manner in how Saturn arrived on Egghead Island. He didn’t get off his ship; he was summoned using a magic circle. That’s almost never seen in One Piece. The only other example that comes to mind is that failed summoning ritual on the island that Brook got sent to by Kuma.
Then we have that ability of his. Somehow, Saturn managed to make anyone who looked at him that wasn’t allowed die. It was a gruesome death, too; that one marine’s head exploded. Is that an advanced form of Haki, or a new power? We don’t know, but it’s terrifying. No wonder Sabo said that Hell was at the top of the world.
Luffy is Still the GOAT
The good news, though, is the fact that Luffy proved that he’s now stronger than a Marine Admiral. He managed to deal what is likely a knockout blow against Kizaru. One person on Twitter noted how he managed to send his Haki-coated fist so fast into Kizaru’s head that it broke the sound barrier. That’s how fast it hit Kizaru. Unfortunately, it also reduced him to the old man state he entered after being in Gear Fifth for too long. While it’s shown that Luffy can re-enter that form with effort, it might not be fast enough to deal with Saturn. For now, the Vegapunk’s will have to rely on the assistance of Sanji, Franky, and Bonney. While they’re all strong, Saturn might be too much for them.
Speaking of Bonney, this chapter gave us another hint about what she learned from her father’s memories. As she goes to stab Saturn, she remembers hearing what’s all but confirmed to be one of the Five Elders talking to Vegapunk, telling him to erase any trace of who he was. In other words, they’re responsible for turning him into the cyborg he is now, most likely against Vegapunk’s wishes. She’s got every right to be mad at them, but I fear that this will only put her in danger.
This chapter had a lot to unpack, but it more than lived up to the hype. The reveal of Saturn’s monstrous form will be a big talking point for fans for some time to come. I earnestly want to see the Straw Hat’s go toe-to-toe with Saturn. As they are the (official) heads of the World Government, taking one of them down will send a huge impact. To the best of my knowledge, not even the Roger Pirates did something like this. That, and considering how the Elders ordered many of the atrocities of the World Government, like the genocide of Ohara, seeing Saturn going down would be pure catharsis. Better yet, I want to see Robin pull the same move she used to beat Black Maria on Saturn.
I Give “Saint Jaygarcia Saturn of the Five Elders- the Defense War God,” a 5/5
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